Drese



w. DRESE 2,734,657 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING CONTAINERS MADE OF A FLEXIBLE Feb. 14, 1956 MATERIAL, SUCH AS PAPER, CARDBOARD, AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 2, 1952 United States Patent APPARATUS FOR" HANDLING CONTAINERS MADE OF A FLEXIBLE .MATERIAL, SUCH AS PAPER, CARDBOARD, THE LIKE Wilhelm Drese, Dusseldorf, Germany, assignor of one-half to .lagenberg-Werke Akt.-Ges., Dusseldorf, Germany Application October 2, 1952, Serial No. 312,701 Claims priority, applicationGermany October 24, 1951 7 Claims. (Cl. 221-251) The present invention relates to apparatus, for handling containers'made of a flexible material, such as paper,

cardboard and the like.

More particularly the invention relates to apparatus for separating nested containers of a flexible nature.

Specifically the invention relates to apparatus which utilizes compressed air for'separating nested containers of a substantially conical shape.

In certain arts utilizing containers, after the same have been manufactured and particularly where they are of substantially conical configuration, they are generally nested and transported in groups or stacks. When handled in this stacked relationship, it sometimes becomes necessary to further treat or handle, the containers such as for impregnation or for filling and closing Under these considerations stacks of containers will be moved between the various machines, such as the container producing machine and the filling and closing machine and it thus becomes a problem to separate the containers from the stack into individual spaced relationship for subsequent handling or filling.

The prior art has provided means for separating nested containers which rely on mechanical elements such as grippers, pliers or fingers which in timed relationship detach and separate the foremost or end container from a stack of containers in order to either move it or permit its movement to a subsequent treating station. Therefore devices which rely on mechanical elements are limited in their capacity due to the wide ranges of their motion and additionally particular stop and control members have to be provided to prevent simultaneous removal of several containers.

Therefore the present invention has for an object to provide an apparatus for removing containers from a stacked relationship in such a fashion that for each cycle of operation one container is removed from the stack while the remaining containers are maintained in stacked relationship.

It is a specific object to provide such an apparatus utilizing compressed air and in which the compressed air supplying means constitutes a movable nozzle that is cyclically moved within the range of a means supporting the stack of containers and against one container to press against the wall thereof and form a space between the wall of the said one container and the inner wall of the end container on the stack, or vice versa, so that air introduced into this space will, under pressure, react between the bottoms of adjacent containers, includ- 2. ment of the stackas a whole are controlled from a single shaft.

his a further and specific object to provide cam means controlling .themovement'of all the coordinating elements constituting the movable nozzle, stack positioning means, and stack holding means;

It is an additional and specific object to provide apparatus for removing. the end container from a stack of nested conicalcontainers regardless of whether the stack is positioned-suchzthat the closed end of the end container is at the bottom ofthe stack or the open end of the end container is at -the bottom. In other words, in accordance with the teachings of thepresent invention, the end, container can beremoved when the stack is supported in a position .in which-the containers are inverted.

Further and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates, in elevation and partly in section, an embodiment of the invention for separating nested containers in which the bottoms thereof are directed toward the delivery end.

Figure 2 is a partial view on a larger scale of the lower end of the stack of containers and illustrating the compressed air nozzle in relation to the endtwo containers of the stack.

Figure 3 is a modification illustrating the invention as applicable to a stack of containers in which the open ends are directed toward the delivery end.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but taken in conjunction with the arrangement of Figure 3; and

ing the end container on the stack, providing an overpressure between the container bottoms to thereby separate the end container from the stack.

it is a further and specific object to provide a simple means for accomplishing the removal of the end container from the stack in which a mechanism which controls the movement of the nozzle, the means for retaining the containers in stack formation while the end one is being removed and a stop means for cyclically permitting move- Figure 5 is a transverse view partly in section and partly in elevation taken along the line 55 of Figure 1.

In accordance with the invention, the removal operation essentially. comprises, disposing a stack of nested con-v tainers in delivery position and preferably with the axis of the stack at an angle to the vertical, temporarily holding the containers in a stationary position while simultaneously introducing a jet of compressed air into the space between the adjacent wallsof the two lowermost containers so that the jet of air will force the lowermost container from the stack.

The invention provides for cyclic operation in which,

following removal of the lowermost container, the restraining or holding means is relaxed to permit the stack to fall by' gravity, following which a movable stop secures the stack with the next adjacent lower container in delivery position so that a subsequent cycle applies the re straining means tothe stack, withdraws the holding means from the'line of movement of the lowermost container direct a jet of air between the walls of the two lowermost containers tov force the bottom container from the stack.

In carrying out the invention and in accordance with Figure 1, the stacker which as indicated, is preferably in. an inclined position, includes two bottom gibs or supportrails 2 which are laterally spaced from one another, and fixed side and top guide rails 3. These rails together with the gibs provide a Support or channel foraccommodating a stack of. containers 1 which, as indicated, are of conical shape and in nested relationship. Subjacent and transversely of the gibs or bottom rails 2. is disposed a driven shaft 7 on which are, mountedseveral cams, the function of which will be described in detail hereinafter. Between the axis of shaft 7 and the bottom of gibs 2 directly above that shaft is mounted a lever 5 pivoting around a fixedaxis. One. end of this lever is secured to a movable compressed air nozzle 4 which as indicated has a flexible. section. The nozzle has a tip denoted at 4a which preferably is of flattened configuration. As is clear from Figure 5, the nozzle is movable in a plane midwaybetweerii the spaced bottom gibs 2 and is mounted for recipro-' cation into and out of range of the transverse plane containing these bottom gibs or rails 2. Thus, the nozzle tip, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, can project between these bottom rails and bear against the container next to the bottom one on the stack and force the wall thereof inwardly to leave a space between this said container and the inner wall of the bottom container so that the air issuing from the nozzle will force the bottom container from the stack. The reciprocation of the nozzle in cyclic relation is effected by cooperation of the roller 6 on the end of one arm of lever with a cam 8 mounted on the shaft 7. The foremost container on the stack periodically abuts the movable counter stop 9, which, as shown, is an angular lever supported for rotation about an axis 10 that is parallel to the shaft 7. The end of the lever remote from the stop portion 9 is provided with a roller 11 in contact with a cam 12 also mounted on shaft 7. Thus as the stack is inserted, the stop portion 9 forms a lower support for the stack. In order to further confine the stack in its guideway or channel, a movable brake rail 13 is mounted for movement toward and away from a position opposite the fixed side rail 3. This brake rail is movable into stack engaging position during the interval that the counter stop 9 is out of the path of movement of the lowermost container. Therefore the brake rail presses the stack of containers against the fixed side rail 3 to hold all the containers but the bottom one in position in the guide or channel.

As shown in the drawings, this brake rail 13 extends along the entire length of the stack. Subjacent the rail is a shaft 15 carrying longitudinally spaced levers 14 which in turn are connected with and form part of the brake rail. The lowermost lever 14 is a double arm lever, on one end of which is mounted a roller 16 disposed between the facing surfaces of a split or drum cam 17 also mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith. As shown in Figure 5, cam 17 is secured to cam 12 and the shape of cam 17 is such that it exerts movement on the double arm lever 14- to control the position of the brake rail in coordinated relationship with the movement of cam 12 controlling the position of stop 9. It therefore follows that when the stop 9 is released, the brake rail 13 is applied and simultaneously the nozzle 4 is projected into position so that the air jet will remove the lowermost container. In Figure 1 the delivery end of the stacker further includes a slide channel 18 carrying the removed containers on to a cellular chain 19 for removal and subsequent treatment or utilization. In Figure 3 a slide channel 18' delivers the containers to a mandrel 20.

In Figure 3 is illustrated an arrangement in which the stack of containers 1 are disposed in inverted relationship, that is with the open end being the lower end. Bottom gibs or rails 2' and a side and top rail 3 are provided as in the relationship of Figure 1. However, in this arrangement, while the shaft 7' still carries the respective cams 8', 12 and 17', the nozzle and stop lever relationship are slightly difierent. Since the containers are disposed with their open end downwards, the compressed air nozzle 4' includes a tip with a reversely curved outlet end 4 that is projectable or movable in its reciprocatory path toward and away from the lowermost container in such fashion, as is shown in Figure 4, that this reversely curved end of the nozzle bears against the outer wall of the lowermost container to deflect this wall inwardly to provide a space between this wall and the inner wall of the next adjacent container on the stack so that the compressed air flows upwardly into the space between the bottoms of the two end containers on the stack to force the lowermost or end container from the stack. In view of the position of the lower end 4" of the nozzle 4', the stop lever 9 is mounted for rotation about a fixed axis 10' on the side of the stack opposite its mounting relationship in Figure 1. The stop lever of course includes the roller 11' cooperating with the cam 12. The arrangement of the brake rail 13' is unchanged in that it still includes the levers 14, one of which is a double arm lever carrying a roller 16' cooperating with the drum cam 17. As indicated previously, in this modification the containers as removed pass through the guide channel 18' on to the mandrel or mandrels 20, or if a chain of such is used, it can be carried by a suitable conveyor.

In operation of the device, in both instances the compressed air nozzle 4 will be moved into the range of the stacker by the cooperation of cam 8 with the roller 6 on lever 5 so that the nozzle tip will slightly push back the container wall adjacent the foremost container in Figure 1 whereby a slit or opening will be formed between the two overlapping container walls at the lower end of the stack so that the air jet can issue through this slit to react against the bottom of the end container on the stack to remove the same. In the arrangement shown in Figures 3 and 4 the reversely bent tip 4", which as shown is of hooklike form, moves against the wall of the container to be removed, depressing this wall to form the slit or opening. The jet of the compressed air supplied from a source not shown commences on the forward movement of the nozzle 4 or 4 and issues into a slit formed between the container walls of the end two containers, thereby producing an over pressure between the adjacent bottoms of these two containers so that the foremost or end container will be detached from the stacker after having been released through actuation of the counter stop 9 under the control of cam 12. Until the counter stop 9 or 9' is again in position to stop the stack of containers, the brake rail 13, 13' extending along the side of the stacker will lock the stack throughout the entire length thereof under the action of the controlling drum cam 17, 17.

The counter stop 9 having moved back again into the path of movement of the stack, the compressed air nozzle 4, 4' will swing out from the range of the stacker and the rotation of cam 12 will simultaneously move the brake rail to open position, permitting the stack to slide down to again abut the counter stop 9, whereas another container will be in position to be removed upon re-introduction of the nozzle 4 into the range of the stacker and reapplication of the brake rail. As long as containers are embodied in the stack the revolution of shaft 7 or 7 will repeat the cycle of operation.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for individually removing containers from a stack of nested containers, comprising means for supporting the stack in nested relationship and in a position inclined to the horizontal, a movable compressed air nozzle, and means for moving the nozzle laterally of the stack adjacent the container to be removed to depress a container wall to provide a space between the walls of the end two containers so that compressed air flowing from the nozzle will remove the end container.

2. Apparatus for individually removing containers from a stack of nested containers, comprising means for supporting the stack in nested relationship and in a position inclined to the horizontal, a movable compressed air nozzle, means for moving the nozzle laterally of the stack adjacent the container to be removed to depress a container wall to provide a space between the walls of the end two containers so that compressed air flowing from the nozzle will remove the end container, and at least one longitudinally extending brake rail mounted in parallelism with the supporting means and movable toward and away from the stack, and means for moving the rail into a position engaging the stack to prevent longitudinal movement of the stack while the end container is being removed.

3. In an apparatus for individually removing the end container from a stack of nested containers and including longitudinally extending supporting means disposed at an angle to the horizontal for receiving a stack of nested containers, a movable stop member including an end portion projectable into the line of movement of the stack in a predetermined position with respect to the supporting means, means for moving said member out of the line of movement of the stack, a movable brake rail extending longitudinally of the stack for engagement therewith to retain the stack in said predetermined position, means for moving said brake rail into engaging position with the stack in synchronism with the movement of the stop member out of the line of movement of the stack, a movable compressed air nozzle, and means for moving the nozzle into a position adjacent the end container with the end of the nozzle directed toward the bottom thereof in synchronism with the movement of the brake rail to stack engaging position whereby the issuance of compressed air from the nozzle forces the end container from the stack while the remaining containers of the stack are retained in position by the brake rail.

4-. In an apparatus as defined in and by claim 3, and

teams coordinating the respective movement of the stop member and the brake rail whereby as the brake rail is moved away from the stack following removal of the end container the stop member again moves into the line of movement of the stack to limit the advance movement I" the remaining containers in the stack.

5. In an apparatus as defined in and by claim 4, in which the means for moving the stop member, the brake rail, and the nozzle each include a cam and a common drive shaft mounting each of said cams.

6. In an apparatus as defined in and by claim 3, in which the supporting means includes laterally spaced guide rails supporting the stack with the bottoms of the containers directed toward the lower end of the rail, said stop member being mounted beneath the rails and including an angular end projectable into the path of movement of the stack, and said movable air nozzle being mounted beneath the rails and movable into a position engaging the side wall of the container adjacent the end container to deflect said wall inwardly so that the air issuing from the nozzle passes between said wall and the inner wall of the container to be removed during a removing operation.

7. In an apparatus as defined in and by claim 3, in which the supporting means includes longitudinally extending, laterally spaced rails, and another rail constituting an upper supporting rail transversely spaced with respect to the first mentioned rails, said stop member including an angular lever having an angularly disposed end movable from a position above said top rail to a position beneath the same to engage the end container of a stack supported by the supporting means in inverted relationship, and said movable air nozzle including a reversely curved end movable into engagement with the said wall of the container to be removed to deflect the same inwardly to leave a space between said wall and the inner wall of the next adjacent container during a container removing operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 1,238,895 Dempsey Sept. 4, 1917 1,927,151 Blasco Sept. 19, 1933 2,271,937 Engels Feb. 3, 1942 2,672,991 Peters Mar. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 503,673 Belgium June 30, 1951 689,530 Great Britain Apr. 1, 1953 

